Smooth and incredibly creamy, this chocolate mint mousse tart uses a chocolate cookie crust making it easy to assemble. And it can be frozen. Chocolate and mint are the perfect pair for holiday desserts. Combine them in a mousse pie, and you have a crowd-pleaser.
This vintage recipe I'm sharing today surprised me.
Not initially, because I love the combination of flavors (mint double chocolate brownies, anyone?), and the recipe seemed pretty straightforward.
But the first step results in a very dubious-looking mess, like jello with insufficient liquid, and you don't quite know what to do with it.
After the cream is added and the whole thing is whipped, a satiny, smooth, perfectly colored mixture emerges, wiping all doubts. You just know it'll be a great dessert.
I sometimes wonder how we get to the end of a recipe with such a bad start.
Why this recipe works
- Easy to make: besides the needed refrigeration, this is an easy dessert to put together! It can be made the same day you plan to eat it.
- Flavor: the mint can be adjusted to your taste, and chocolate is always a favorite so this pie is a perfect dessert for this season.
- Make ahead: it can be frozen for several weeks or kept in the refrigerator for a few days.
Step-by-step VIDEO
Ingredient list
- Chocolate: use your favorite dark semisweet chocolate for this recipe. I like Callebaut 54% chocolate wafers or Ghirardelli Premium baking bar.
- Cream: heavy whipping, double or heavy cream is the best for achieving the desired texture and thickness. Single cream won’t give you the same results.
- Whole milk.
- White granulated sugar.
- Cornstarch: it’s used to thicken and create structure. Argo 100% pure cornstarch is a popular one.
- Cookie crumbs: use plain chocolate cookies, not stuffed or filled. You can also use a store-bought chocolate pie crust.
- Unsalted butter.
- Mint extract: you can use pure peppermint extract (I like Nielsen Massey's) or McCormick's pure peppermint extract, which is cheaper, or a mint emulsion (LorAnn).
How to make a peppermint chocolate pie
The cookie crust
Crumb crusts are very easy to put together and can even be no-bake if you mix the ingredients and pop the pan in the refrigerator to firm up completely.
I like to bake it for 10 minutes to make it sturdier since I remove it from the pan before serving it. I recommend this extra step.
The filling
There are two parts: one is a stovetop pudding sort-of-mixture that has to be chilled until cold before whipping it with cream and making the most luscious mousse.
Refrigeration time aside, it comes together quickly and is easy to make.
Cornstarch and gelatin are ingredients used for firming up a mousse. We use the former for this pie today, and it works well.
Mint is the general name for any extract, of which peppermint is just one. Spearmint is another popular type.
Most bottles of extract will have this info, but my experience is that you can keep it for one year without a problem. After that, it might sometimes have a funny or rancid smell due to the oils used.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Storage: it needs a few hours of chilling before serving for the mousse to firm up. And it should be served cold. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, covered, or in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature until you can cut it.
- Topping: besides the crushed candy cane you can use shaved chocolate. And you can certainly serve this pie with whipped cream. I personally think it's too much as it will overpower the mousse. But that's me.
Related recipes you might like:
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Chocolate Peppermint Pie (easy mousse recipe)
Chocolate and mint are the perfect pair for holiday desserts. Combine them in a mousse pie, and everyone will be thrilled! Smooth and irresistibly creamy, this mousse tart has a chocolate cookie crust, making it easy to assemble. And it can be frozen. Take out the crust, and you have a luscious chocolate mint mousse.
- Total Time: 3 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
For the cookie crust:
- 2 cups chocolate wafer (or plain cookies) crumbs
- 8 tablespoons of butter, melted
For the chocolate filling:
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy or whipping cream
- 5.5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (if you use chips, make sure they melt well)
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- Crushed candy canes, for decoration
Instructions
For the chocolate crust:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF/180°C.
- Mix crumbs with butter until it looks like wet sand.
- Place mixture in a 9-inch pie pan with removable bottom. Carefully press evenly against bottom and sides of the pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack completely.
For the mousse filling:
- Combine sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan.
- Add milk, mix well until cornstarch is dissolved and cook on medium heat until the mixture reaches the boiling point. Stir frequently to avoid lumps.
- Boil for 1 minute, whisking constantly. It will thicken.
- Remove from heat and immediately add chocolate and mint extract. Combine well. The mixture will look like jello gone bad, don't worry.
- Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and let cool to room temperature. You can speed this process by refrigerating it.
- Beat chocolate mixture a bit with an electric mixer until it starts to soften.
- Add cream and slowly beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.
- Pour the filling into the prepared crust and spread evenly.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 2 hours.
- Sprinkle with crushed mint candies right before serving.
Notes
- Chocolate: use the best quality of semi-sweet chocolate you can afford. It makes a difference. I love Ghirardelli Premium Baking Chocolate 60% and Callebaut Semisweet Chocolate Block 54%. If using chips, use a good brand like Ghirardelli Chocolate Premium Baking Chips 60%.
- Mint extract: I use Simply Organic Peppermint Extract or Frontier's Peppermint Organic Extract.
- Cream: heavy whipping, double or heavy cream is the best for achieving the desired texture and thickness. Single cream won’t give you the same results.
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Storage: it needs a few hours of chilling before serving for the mousse to firm up. And it should be served cold. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, covered, or in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature until you can cut it.
- Topping: besides the crushed candy cane you can use shaved chocolate. And you can certainly serve this pie with whipped cream. I personally think it's too much as it will overpower the mousse. But that's me.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cooling + refrigeration time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Pies & Tarts
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: â…›
- Calories: 416
- Sugar: 29.9 g
- Sodium: 181.2 mg
- Fat: 26.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 43.4 g
- Protein: 4.8 g
- Cholesterol: 48.7 mg
Keywords: chocolate peppermint pie
Jenica says
This feels like a silly question, but can any pie recipes be made in a tart pan instead?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Jenica, for this recipe you can, but not always. It depends on the amount of filling as tart pans are shallower than pie dishes.
angiesrecipes says
That chocolate mousse filling looks so silky and wonderful!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
Thank goodness you didn't have a fire! You sound like you have been eating deliciously. Thanks for sharing this chocolate lovely.